Leading engineering and construction bodies have united behind a call for action to avoid a future ‘infrastructure crunch’ in the UK.

The Infrastructure Alliance, which brings together the Association for Consultancy and Engineering, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, the Construction Products Association and Institution of Civil Engineers, working in partnership with sector skills council CITB-ConstructionSkills, announced the publication of Avoiding the Infrastructure Crunch: Getting Britain working at a reception at the Liberal Democrat party conference last night in Brighton.

The report warns that the UK’s economic recovery could be held back if fears of an emerging crisis in the UK’s infrastructure sector are realised.

Congestion in the UK’s transport networks is set to worsen, there is uncertainty about how the country’s future energy needs will be met, and the current downturn is putting the industry’s skills base at risk, according to the alliance.

To avoid an ‘infrastructure crunch’ the report recommends:

• Immediate action to stimulate ‘shovel-ready’ maintenance and minor works
• Analysing future demand for skills to ensure the UK has a world class infrastructure workforce available to deliver vital future projects
• Rebalancing investment throughout the UK to rebuild activity in communities and support a more even economic recovery
• Development of greater consensus on the country’s infrastructure needs and how they can be best delivered and paid for

Speaking on behalf of the Infrastructure Alliance, Costain infrastructure director Darren James said:

“While infrastructure can help plot a route to recovery, equally its failure can stamp a foot on the brakes of the economy. We know that congestion steals billions from UK plc each year, and it is set to worsen. And we face an energy crisis.

“But we, as industry, the government, and everyone else can fight this crunch. We are publishing this four-point plan detailing the steps we believe we all need to take to secure the future of UK infrastructure.”

However, while applauding the government delivery of a portfolio of initiatives, including the Green Investment Bank, the Growing Places Fund, the Pensions Infrastructure Platform and the recently announced UK Guarantees programme, he said neither industry, nor the government, could be under any illusion that this is “job done”.

Darren James added that much of the current investment in infrastructure can be found within the M25 and that the industry was now calling for a rebalancing of infrastructure investment throughout the UK.

The Alliance will promote the document and its recommendations at all three main party conferences, including the Labour Party conference on 2 October in Manchester and at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on 7 and 8 October.